Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from Blissett (see all)

Blissett has commented 65 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on SF adopting the Bertie Ahern ‘whatever you’re having yourself’ approach to policy?
   on 15 April 2013 at 12:09 pm

   There might be some point to this article if, y’know, the figures actually supported the argument made, rather than illustrating a party membership largely happy with the party’s position (and direction).

   Let’s look at this.

   ‘MORE than a quarter of Sinn Fein members still back an armed struggle so long as British rule remains over Northern Ireland.’

   The question is clearly in the abstract – not currently. So given at least a quarter of those present have in fact supported armed struggle during the course of their lives, maybe even gone to prison for it, I would say that’s not very surprising. It clearly is a question of circumstances.

   “And almost half say they don’t feel a civic duty to report the activities of dissident republicans to the police to prevent an attack.”

   So 7 years after a bruising debate on policing which near tore the party apart, more than half are happy to ‘tout’ on dissidents. For such a divisive issue, I think that’s rather remarkable, don’t you?

   “There were other worrying signs for the PSNI. More than half of those questioned (54pc) felt that they were not “an impartial force” as against 36pc who felt they were.”

   Again, this is 7 or so years after recognising the police at all at all, and in the context of some questionable responses by the police in the last few years. I think delegates have been quite generous in many ways.

   The survey showed delegates willing to make some concession to unionists if Irish unity was agreed. Nearly two-thirds (64pc) felt that the Stormont Assembly should remain with power devolved from Dublin.

   “And 58pc also favoured Stormont-style assemblies in other Irish regions with just one in five opposed to the idea.

   Nearly four out of five (78pc) felt citizens of a united Ireland should be allowed to hold UK passports if they wished.”

   Very little comment on the obvious willingness to make concessions to unionism, and to be generous and accommodating to the British identity. Seems fairly in sync with the leadership to me now, I have to say. And augurs well for how any initiatives in that regard would be received by the membership.

   And for what it’s worth, as one of the people who participated, the person undertaking this survey was evidentially surprised and disappointed at the uncontroversial answers being given the majority.

   Still, I suppose they had to get some kind of article out of their efforts.

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2. Comment on Micheál Martin in Belfast: “There is nothing inevitable about peace and progress”
   on 27 February 2013 at 8:39 pm

   In Cork, we have a particularly contempt for the pastime know as Hurling from the Ditch.

   Perhaps a corkman like Micheál might see the value in getting off the ditch and on the pitch some time soon.

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3. Comment on Millward Brown Poll: Scary buns for Fine Gael?
   on 17 February 2013 at 4:57 pm

   Galway West a prospect with SF having a Senator and it being a five seater. Internal FG poll indicate SF could take a seat in carlow Kilkenny. Has always been a very solid vote in Wexford, but havent been able to harness it, and party locally seem to have finally got their act together. But generally, I dont hugely disagree, The organisational weakness of the party in large parts of south means that national opinion polls wont necessarily match up in terms of seats. Outside bets might also include Dub West, Tipp (not exactly heartland, but will be competitive in any 5 seater) and Longford Westmeath

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4. Comment on “I want to know if the Minister is going to put pressure on these factories.” ..”
   on 13 February 2013 at 6:00 pm

   Have to say, of all Ministers Coveney has been far and away the most competent and impressive. Very much on top of his brief, and very good communicator. Probably hasn’t got the plaudits because its not as high profile as some of the other briefs, but has been impressive since the general election, and has really been outstanding in this current difficulty, looks as if Irish beef industry will come out of this in fairly ok condition

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5. Comment on Gaelscéal : New Funding Model, Northern Irish groups fear they have been stroked
   on 11 October 2012 at 11:36 am

   The story is a nonsense covenanter.

   The model being proposed for funding is that it be channelled through 6-7 lead groups in the respectives sub-sectors of work in the language, such as education, language promotion, language advocacy etc etc.

   It would be nuts to designate an organisation a lead organisation purely because it is northern, particularly given that they are practically all all Ireland bodies. It is indeed unlikely that one of these lead organisations will be headquatered in Belfast. By the same token, it is also unlikely that any of these lead organisations will be cork based.

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6. Comment on Gaelscéal : New Funding Model, Northern Irish groups fear they have been stroked
   on 10 October 2012 at 11:08 pm

   “Tá eagrais Ghaeilge sa Tuaisceart buartha go bhfuil siad á sailleadh ag samhail nua mhaoinithe ‘críoch-dheighilteach’.

   Sceitheadh roinnt de na sonraí an tseachtain seo caite, maidir le scéim nua mhaoinithe ag Foras na Gaeilge. De réir an ailt, tá sé ‘cheanneagraíocht’ le bheith ann. Beidh siad freagrach as réimsí difriúla d’obair teanga.

   Tuigtear go mbeidh seacht n-eagras san iomaíocht mar ‘cheanneagraíochtaí’. Níl ceann ar bith acu lonnaithe sa Tuaisceart. Beidh na ‘ceanneagraíochtaí’ ábalta fochonarthaí a thabhairt d’eagrais eile.”

   Cén eagraíocht atá a cheannáras lonnaithe sa tuaisceart a d’fheadfaí ‘ceanneagras’ a thabhairt orthu in aon ceann de na earnáil atá á phlé ag an Forais de réir an modh seo, agus cén ceann de na heagraisí a bheidh ina cheanneagrais nách bhfuil ina eagraíocht uile éireannach.

   Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil scéal ar bith anseo. Tá daoine atá gníomach i saol an Ghaeilge sa tuaisceart, agus ata ag deigleáil leis an proiséas seo i bhfad níos sásta leis an modh seo ná an SNM mk.1

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7. Comment on Britain’s divergence from Europe does not necessarily benefit traditional unionists
   on 9 October 2012 at 9:55 am

   Sinn Féin no more translates as ‘ourselves alone’ than it does as ‘hungry rhino.’

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8. Comment on The Reilly Shortall affair: And Ireland’s loss of political direction…
   on 6 October 2012 at 1:11 pm

   “the HSE (a sort of nascent NHS)”

   You’re kidding surely?

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9. Comment on Lessons from up on the hill: mind your soundbites & voting on equal marriage
   on 3 October 2012 at 1:54 am

   “As far as I can tell the only party whose members don’t phone up a cleric before they go and vote are the Greens.”

   Im curious as to why you would lump in the SDLP and particularly SF (who have never exactly had a pally relationship with the church) in to that category? Particularly in the case of SF, who were the party who initiated this debate in recent weeks.

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10. Comment on Gaelscéal : Sinn Féin plan Catalan style referendums
    on 13 September 2012 at 11:22 am

    Bhí mise ag an scoil samhraidh ceánna, agus tuigeadh dom go raibh SF ag smaoineamh ar na ‘reifreann’ seo ar fud an 32 contae, ach ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sin cinnte ar chor ar bith.

    was at the summer school, think that what was said was they were considering it for the 32 counties, but dont think it was much more than an idea really

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